While the fields of science and engineering are currently male-dominated, the U is making a conscious effort to help support and guide women in STEM. Beginning next week, the Curie Club invites undergraduate and graduate women to monthly panels featuring female STEM faculty and professionals.
Chemistry academic advisor Tascha Knowlton and Chemistry professor-lecturer Holly Sebahar began organizing this program last spring in order to help female science and engineering students gain connections and support.
Past female engineering students reached out to Sebahar, telling her they were having trouble in Chemistry with male professors and students making them feel as though their input wasn’t valuable. The STEM students wanted to get to know each other better and talk to other women in the field.
“A lot of the underclassmen don’t get a chance to meet our women faculty,” Sebahar said. “Although there are a lot of us in the department, not all of us teach in the first and second year.”
Knowlton, one of Sebahar’s past students, was also interested by this topic because she didn’t have enough resources as a woman in science during her years at the U as a Chemistry/Physics double major. However, she knew of the Curie Club, a group focused on inspiring and supporting women in science.
“It talked about connecting women in industry and academia, but also students,” Knowlton said. “But over the years, I realized there weren’t student opportunities to connect with the professional women [of the Curie Club].”
For those reasons, the two worked with the Curie Club and other organizations such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Chapter to create Tea Time with Women in STEM.
This program features panels taking place on the first or second Wednesday of each month. During each session, drinks and treats will be served while the presenters share their experiences. Two distinguished women speak each month, one chemist and one woman in industry, whether that be science or engineering.
Scheduled panelists include Cynthia Burrows, Distinguished Professor of Organic & Biochemistry; Mary Ann White, Orbital ATK Materials & Process Chief Engineer; Sylvia Torti, Dean of the Honors College; and Shelley Minteer, USTAR Professor of Bioanalytical & Materials Chemistry.
Sebahar and Knowlton hope to connect female STEM students to each other and also to women in the field who will mentor them. “In the future, this is going to be an excellent group of women to come back to for jobs and internships,” noted Sebahar.
These panels will benefit female students by showing them they aren’t alone and walking them through the difficulties women face, in STEM fields and outside of them. After a 10-15 minute presentation by each of two panelists, attendees will have a chance to converse with and ask questions of the speakers.
These sessions featuring treats and personal storytelling by distinguished women will commence with its first panel on Sept. 7 from 2:00-3:00 pm in Room 4429 of the Thatcher Building for Biological and Biophysical Chemistry. The program is geared toward women, but male participants will not be turned away.
@KarissaWang